Typically, game calls are used by hunters and others to attract game or wildlife. In hunting, for example, a game call may be used to simulate the call made by a duck, goose, wild turkey or other species of wildlife. Also, a game call may be used to attract a particular species of game by simulating the call made by the game's natural prey. Game calls may be used to attract, for example, ducks, geese, wild turkeys, coyotes and the like.
For a game call to be effective, it must realistically simulate the particular wildlife call as it exists in nature. A coyote, for example, may be attracted to a call which simulates the sound made by a dying rabbit, but only if the simulated call is sufficiently realistic.
Prior diaphragm-type game calls generally are difficult to use, particularly for beginners. Many conventional game calls require special embouchures or skilled techniques on the part of the caller to produce the desired pitch, tone and modulation required to realistically simulate a wildlife call. In addition, prior game calls generally have limited versatility. With a single game call, it typically is difficult to produce the wide variation in tone, pitch, volume and modulation required to simulate the calls of several different types of wildlife.
One prior game call comprises a tubular member having an inlet opening and a flared bell-like outlet portion terminating at an outlet opening. A vibratable rubber diaphragm is stretched over the smaller inlet opening to cover about two-thirds thereof. The caller presses his/her lip against the diaphragm and blows air over the lip, causing the diaphragm to vibrate and produce a sound which is emitted from the outlet opening. Considerable skill is required to produce the desired pitch, tone and modulation of a wildlife call.
In contrast to the game call just described, most game calls are of the vibratory reed type. Faulk U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,313 and 3,991,513, for example, disclose a game call having a pair of call barrels, each having an associated vibratable reed, which are mounted on opposite ends of a common throat element. The throat element defines a sound chamber and has a plurality of openings connecting the sound chamber with the atmosphere. The caller blows air into one of the two mouthpieces, causing the reed assocated therewith to vibrate. The resulting sound is emitted from one or more of the openings. The pitch of the call may be changed by closing one or more of the openings (so long as one opening or a portion thereof is left open), either by using a finger or sliding the mouthpiece closer to the center of the sound chamber.
Walther U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,370, Bicocchi U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,141 and Thompson U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,755 each disclose a call having a tubular horn and a hollow cylindrical mouthpiece removably attached to the horn. A vibratable reed is mounted centrally within the call to either the mouthpiece or horn. Air blown into an inlet opening of the mouthpiece causes the reed to vibrate, creating a sound which is emitted from an outlet end of the horn.
Sokaski U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,720 discloses a comic reed whistle. Much like the calls just described, it is a two-piece detachable unit having a mouthpiece and a bell with a flared end portion. The mouthpiece mounts a reed which vibrates when air is blown into the mouthpiece.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a game call which can be used easily by beginning and skilled callers alike.
Another object of the invention is to provide a game call which may be used with some success merely by blowing air into the call, and yet is capable of producing more complex calls with more refined techniques.
A further object of the invention is to provide a game call which permits the pitch, tone, volume and modulation of the sounds produced to be quickly and easily varied within a wide range.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a versatile game call capable of realistically simulating several different types of animal calls.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a game call in which the vibratable member can be quickly and easily replaced if necessary.
Another object of the invention is to provide a game call which can be easily assembled and disassembled.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a game call adapted for use with multiple easily attachable pretuned diaphragms having different frequency and sound producing characteristics.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and following detailed description.